Comedy plays; English drama -- 18th century; London (England) -- Drama; Man-woman relationships -- Drama; Married people -- Drama
_Doric._ Never, Sir George! To Felicity I bid adieu--but I will
endeavour to be content. Where is my--I must speak it--where is my
_Wife_?
_Enter_ Letitia, _masked, led by_ Saville.
_Sav._ Mr. Doricourt, this Lady was pressing to be introduced to you.
_Dor._ Oh! (_Starting_).
_Let._ I told you last night, you shou'd see me at a time when you least
expected me--and I have kept my promise.
_Vill._ Whoever you are, Madam, you could not have arrived at a happier
moment.--Mr. Doricourt is just married.
_Let._ Married! Impossible! 'Tis but a few hours since he swore to me
eternal Love: I believ'd him, gave him up my Virgin heart--and
now!--Ungrateful Sex!
_Dor._ Your Virgin heart! No, Lady----my fate, thank Heaven! yet wants
that torture. Nothing but the conviction that you was another's, could
have made me think one moment of Marriage, to have saved the lives of
half Mankind. But this visit, Madam, is as barbarous as unexpected. It
is now my duty to forget you, which, spite of your situation, I found
difficult enough.
_Let._ My situation!--What situation?
_Dor._ I must apologise for explaining it in this company--but, Madam, I
am not ignorant, that you are the companion of Lord George Jennet--and
this is the only circumstance that can give me peace.
_Let._ I--a Companion! Ridiculous pretence! No, Sir, know, to your
confusion, that my heart, my honour, my name is unspotted as her's you
have married; my birth equal to your own, my fortune large--That, and my
person, might have been your's.--But, Sir, farewell! (_Going._)
_Dor._ Oh, stay a moment----Rascal! is she not----
_Flut._ Who, she? O Lard! no--'Twas quite a different person that I
meant.--I never saw that Lady before.
_Dor._ Then, never shalt thou see her more. [_Shakes_ Flutter.]
_Mrs. Rack._ Have mercy upon the poor Man!--Heavens! He'll murder him.
_Dor._ Murder him! Yes, you, myself, and all Mankind. Sir
George--Saville--Villers--'twas you who push'd me on this
precipice;--'tis you who have snatch'd from me joy, felicity, and life.
_Mrs. Rack._ There! Now, how well he acts the Madman!--This is something
like! I knew he would do it well enough, when the time came.
_Dor._ Hard-hearted Woman! enjoy my ruin--riot in my wretchedness.
[Hardy _bursts in_.]
_Har._ This is too much. You are now the Husband of my Daughter; and how
dare you shew all this passion about another Woman?
_Dor._ Alive again!
_Har._ Alive! aye, and merry. Here, wipe off the flour from my face. I
was never in better health and spirits in my life.--I foresaw t'would
do--. Why, my illness was only a fetch, Man! to make you marry Letty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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